10 World Cup stars you have to follow on Twitter

Brace yourselves, because the 2018 FIFA World Cup is now firmly upon us, and social media. And it’s set to remain this way for the next four weeks.

To celebrate, why not get to know 10 of the world’s most famous ball kickers up close and personal by stalking them on Twitter?

If this sounds good to you, grab a pen, find your Twitter login details, and get ready to hit that follow button.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Formerly of Manchester United, the Real Madrid and Portugal striker will probably be one of the tournament’s top scorers come the end of the group stage. But he’ll have to first get past the Spanish defensive line, and his 129-million Instagram followers.

David de Gea

Speaking of Spanish defense (and my Manchester United bias), goalkeeper David de Gea will likely man the penalty area, stopping pop shots from Ronaldo and company. Although he was included in the previous Spanish World Cup squad, this tournament is effectively his debut as a first choice keeper.

Thomas Müller

Remember Thomas Müller during the 2014 World Cup in South Africa? He and four other German scorers completely tore Brazil to shreds during the now infamous 7-1 thrashing in Belo Horizonte. And the Bayern Munich striker is back on the plane ready for more it seems.

Lionel Messi

What would a list of world footballers be without Lionel Messi? He’s scored 64 goals thus far for Argentina in 124 appearances. He was set to retire from international football in 2016, but clearly that didn’t happen. He’s now on a plane to Russia too. Messi doesn’t have an official personal account, but his fan club has taken on the responsibility on his behalf.

Antoine Griezmann

How chill does the French team look in these shots though? That’s probably because they have Antoine Griezmann. The player that all teams in Europe seemingly want, Griezmann will play alongside the likes of Antony Martial and Paul Pogba in France’s midfield. Also, sidenote, he really likes horses.

Harry Kane

If England had to pit its hope on one man, that man would be Wayne Roo… Harry Kane. The Tottenham Hotspur striker is carrying the hopes and expectations of his 2-million followers and 53-million English citizens on his shoulders.

James Rodriquez

Colombia’s Twitter account is the second most popular team account amongst the World Cup squads, but James Rodriquez’s account dwarfs its numbers massively. At 17-million followers, the former Real Madrid striker and current Bayern Munich playmaker is one to watch, especially after his tremendous 2014 World Cup performance.

Eden Hazard

That last name is particularly apt for opposition defences. Chelsea star and Belgian winger Hazard joins a plethora of talent for third-ranked squad in the world. But the team will need to fight with England to see who finishes top of the group. Interestingly, he fancies meeting England in the final too.

John Obi Mikel

Nigeria’s captain and long-time Premier League midfielder John Obi Mikel doesn’t post to social media often, but when he does he’s often engaging with fans. Notably, the Super Eagles, Senegal, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco are Africa’s hopes for this tournament, but Nigeria should be considered a strong favourite to get out of its group, consisting of Argentina, Iceland and Croatia.

Will John Obi Mikel be the first African to hoist the World Cup trophy?

Author | Andy Walker: Editor

Camper by day, run-and-gunner by night, Andy prefers his toast like his coffee -- dark and crunchy. Specialising in spotting the next big Instagram cat star, Andy also dabbles in smartphone, gadget and game reviews over on Gearburn. More